Michelle Obama and the Democrats Go All-In: The prominence of marriage equality in the Democratic platform and on the convention stage is a remarkable moment in LGBT history

Opinion: A week in politics truly is an eternity. Just a few days ago, as supporters of LGBT equality and women's choice excoriated the Republican Party platform — especially the call for an amendment banning same-sex marriage and no support for abortion rights for women who were raped — we were calmly assured that platforms don't matter, most entertainingly by GOProud's Jimmy LaSalvia, who said at his group's convention party, ''We'll have more people at our party tonight than who will read the Republican Party platform.'' Maybe the Republicans were too busy reading the Democratic Party platform, given that Romney running mate Paul Ryan just blasted it for ''purging'' all mention of God. First, as an acolyte of famed radical atheist Ayn Rand, you'd think Ryan wouldn't have a problem with that, but intellectual consistency isn't exactly his calling card. Second, it shows that the people who publicly care the most about a particular political platform are often the people from the other party. It's unfortunate, because I happen to be in the camp that believes party platforms are important. Just to be clear, they're neither the Magna Carta of modern politics nor a Rosetta Stone into the mind of presidential candidates. They're not fun reading because they are the end result of a multitude of cooks in a chaotic kitchen. ... (more)

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